Vulcanizing apparatus



Jan, 21, 1941. J. HozA 2,229,985

VULCANIZING APPARATUS Filed June 9, 1938 INHVENTOFE. JOHN Hoz/a.

Patented Jan. 21, 1941 PATENT OFFICE 2,229,085 VULCANIZIN G APPARATUS .lohn Hoza, Zlin, Czechoslovakia Application June 9, 1938, Serial No. 212,645

v In Czechoslovakia June 11, 1937 3 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for Vulcanization, in particular, of shoes with rubber soles. According to the known vulcanizing process, vulcanization is obtained in a closed -chamber 5' by having hot air orother hot gases blown into and circulated within the cavity of a last, while the outside of the sole is simultaneously heated by radiation from a heating device. In this process, however, the vulcanizing boiler is subjected to a relatively high pressure of about six atmospheres, which, on one hand, is` a permanent danger for the operator and, on the other hand, requires a complicated closing device of the boiler, which renders the whole apparatus expensive. The jamming device in this former apparatus is such that, when the vulcanised shoe is substituted by a new unvulcanized one, the device must be taken from the boiler and a new jamming device together with a new shoe substituted, which also increases the production cost. Moreover, the former boilers present corners that will prevent the circulation of hot air from being satisfactory, so that the heat of the circulating air cannot be entirely taken advantage of. Such inconveniences appear to be entirely removed in the apparatus according to the present invention.

According to the invention, the process is carried out in a closed boiler the interior of which is preferably formed to have an aerodynamic shape ensuring a perfect circulation of the vulcanizing means without almost any loss of the latter. Contrary to the known apparatuses no pressure is applied to such means. The lasts together with the shoes thereon are carried on a special elastic support in the shape of the sole, and against which is pressed the last with the shoe slid thereon. Due to this arrangement, it is not necessary to provide for an internal pressure above atmospheric in the boiler. Such arrangement will allow of the use of simple closings which will not have to overcome pressures but will only have to shut olf the vulcanizing chamber from the outer cooler means. In this embodiment, the said jamming device is secured to the cover of the boiler and is removed from the boiler by lifting the cover thereof, whenever the shoe is put upon the last or the vulcanized shoe taken oil the boiler. Thereby it is possible to facilitate and more readily carry out the removing and putting on of the shoe than when handling the former devices.

In the accompanying drawing, an embodiment of the apparatus according to the invention is shown by Way of example.

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one half o the boiler.

Fig. 2 shows an elasticsupport of the shoeiincluding the last.

In a boiler I provided with a fan 9 are arranged as many elastic supports 2 as there are lasts 5 fastened to thejammingA device 3 secured to the cover `II of theboiler.. The lasts are secured to pivots 6 of the jamming device 3. In the interior of the boiler I, a, say, tube-shaped heating device 'I is arranged, heated either by steam fed through the tube 8 or in any manner, say, electrically. Air is blown from the fan over the said heating device 1.

The operation and circulation of the vulcanizing means take place in the following way:

The lasts 5, on which are put the shoes to be vulcanized, are secured to the jamming device 3 by means of pivots Thereupon, the boiler I is closed by means ofthe cover 4, and the process of vulcanization initiated.

Through the tube 8 is admitted steam for heating the device l, and the fan Ei is started to blow air or some other vulcanizing means into the boiler. Such means is led over the heating device "l, where it is heated and, then, partly, flows through the apertures It in the wall of the boiler I to the underside of the last, that is, under the elastic support 2.

At the same time, the main flow of the hot vulcanizing means is admitted through the opening I I, into the interior of the last 5 and will heat the same. From this last 5, the vulcanizing means escapes through the opening I2 and, travelling above the last 5, is then returned to the fan 9, where it will be kept in permanent circulation.

The elastic support 2 (Fig. 2) is arranged so that there is secured to the iixed frame I3 a permeable, for example, metallic wire netting I4, which forms an elastic support for the sole of the shoe to be vulcanized. This wire netting is tightly fastened to the frame I3, for example, by means of vertical spiral springs I5, kept tight by means of screws I6. The lengths and widths of these elastic supports 2 are shaped so that the latter form convenient supports for all sizes of soles to be vulcanized. In order to obtain a reinforced joint in accordance with the arched part of the sole, suitably proled rollers il are arranged below the said soles 2 (Fig. l) Such rollers I1 are formed so that they will allow to shape all sizes of soles.

It will be understood that differential structural modifications may be applied without altering the nature of the invention. The chief object of the invention is to provide an apparatus for vulcanizing shoes with pasted-on pre-vulcanized soles shaped in such manner as to be suitable for wear Without any further treatment or fashionlng.

From the above description it will thus be seen that there is provided a Vulcanizing apparatus particularly for shoes having rubber soles comprising an open housing, closure means therefor, at least one hollow last for a shoe, means for maintaining said last at one side thereof and within said housing, yieldable means opposite said maintaining means and adapted to be pressed against said last, heating means Within said housing, means for permanently circulating a gaseous medium past said heating means over and under said yieldable means and into said last, and means for discharging said medium from said last.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. A vulcanizing apparatus particularly for shoes having rubber soles comprising an open housing, closure means therefor, at least one hollow last for a shoe, means for maintaining said last at one side thereof and within said housing, yieldable means opposite said maintaining means and adapted to be pressed against said last, heating means Within said housing, means for permanently circulating a gaseous medium past said heating means, over and under said yieldable means and into said last, and means for discharging said medium from said last.

2. A vulcanizing apparatus particularly for shoes having rubber soles comprising a housing having interior surfaces of aerodynamic shape, closure means for said housing, a plurality of hollow lasts for said shoes, means for supporting said lasts within said housing, yieldable means for engagement with the rubber soles of said shoes for pressing said soles against said lasts, heating means, and means for permanently circulating a gaseous medium past said heating means and along said surfaces and into and out of said lasts.

3. A vulcanizing apparatus particularly for shoes having rubber soles comprising a housing having interior surfaces of aerodynamic shape, closure means for said housing, hollow lasts for said shoes, jamming means adjacent said closure means for clampingly securing said lasts, yieldable means adjacent the soles of said shoes for pressing the same against said lasts, heating means within said housing, and means for permanently circulating a gaseous medium past said heating means, said yieldable means and into and out of said lasts.

JOHN HOZA. 

